1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dual-mode support mobile communication terminal and a method for selecting a drive (communication) mode thereof, and more particularly to a dual-mode support mobile communication terminal and a method using the same, the method automatically recognizing a card inserted into a slot and selecting a drive mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information relating to a user may be stored separately from a mobile communication terminal, and a separate storage used in this case is called a user identity module (UIM). The UIM is realized as a smart card due to a necessity for security of user information. In a mobile communication system employing a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) scheme, user identity modules called a subscriber identity module (SIM) are already widely used for commercial business.
Information stored in the UIM includes a subscriber's phone number, a phone book, transmission/reception message, a password, a key value for authentication of a subscriber (i.e., for a procedure for judging whether or not a user is a regular subscriber), an encryption module, network information, roaming information, etc.
According to the prior art, GSM terminals can be used only in a GSM network and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) terminals can be used only in a CDMA network. Therefore, in order to use a terminal, a user must purchase a card corresponding to the terminal, that is, a SIM card for the GSM scheme and a UIM card for the CDMA scheme.
A world phone supports both of the GSM scheme and the CDMA scheme. Accordingly, the world phone either has two slots (into which two types of cards can be inserted) or has one slot (into which an integrated card can be inserted). Typically, CDMA providers did not permit the use of the UIM card. Recently, however, CDMA providers, such as China Unicom and Thailand Hutchison, are permitting the use of the UIM card.
In addition, it is expected that the use of prepaid cards will increase more and more. Therefore, terminals (such as a world phone) capable of supporting both of the GSM scheme and the CDMA scheme may greatly increase and may be widely popularized.
When using a terminal supporting the two schemes, a user must know the types of cards (i.e., each card for which one of the two schemes) to be inserted into the terminal by the user, the type of scheme employed in the main system of a provider from which the user is provided with services in a user's current location, etc. When the user inserts a card into the terminal without knowing such matters relating to the card, the terminal may malfunction or an error may occur. In this case, there is an inconvenience in that the user must separate its battery, separate the card from a relevant slot, and check the kind of the slot. Additionally, the user must ask a service center about the type of scheme employed in the main system. Further, when two cards are inserted into both slots, it is more difficult to distinguish that which card is inserted into any one of the slots. In addition, because the two types of cards have a similar shape, it is not easy to distinguish the types of cards with the naked eye.